Month: November 2014

New challenges for Cambridgeshire hospitals as patient numbers rise and winter approaches

08:07 Thursday 13th November 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: A new initiative to help reducing waiting times at A&E has been launched today by Cambridgeshire’s NHS Clinical Commissioning Group. It comes as figures from our three major hospitals show they’ve seen big increases in the number of people coming to the emergency department. Our reporter Sue Marchant explains.
SUE MARCHANT: The hospital’s Chief Executive Keith McNeill has blamed the severe pressure from admissions, saying the knock-ons have resulted in postponed surgery. But as far as admissions, papers reveal concern over the number of staffed beds available to patients. Bosses have also admitted eHospital is also hampering efficiency. The roll-out of the new electronic patient record system has, in their words, prompted a dip in A&E performance.
CHRIS MANN: Sue Marchant there with the situation at Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge. Well joining me now live from Peterborough City Hospital’s A&E department is our reporter Johnny D. Morning Johnny.
JOHN DEVINE: Good morning there Chris.
CHRIS MANN: And last night they went on to ‘black alert’. Is that still the case this morning?
JOHN DEVINE: No it’s not Chris I’m glad to say. We’re going to find out a bit more about that in a moment. But I’ll just describe to you the scene here. It’s a large circular reception desk in front of me. There’s a member of staff busily tapping away on the computer keyboard Chris. It’s a relatively new building this, it’s light bright and spacious. And there’s about thirty seats in front of me for admissions and their relations. I’m pleased to say they’re all empty at the moment. There is a children’s area just on the other side of the room as well. And they have nearly 2,000 people a week coming through these doors with things like bruises, sprains and fractures. But it’s all quiet on the western front at the moment Chris, and I’m going to introduce our guest for you, Celia Kendrick.
CELIA KENDRICK: Good morning.
CHRIS MANN: Good morning Celia, Head of Nursing at Peterborough City Hospital. So we’ve heard that things are pretty busy, that there are some real strains. What’s it like in your view? How bad is it at the moment?
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Stagecoach concern at fewer passengers since the parking fee

07:06 Wednesday 12th November 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: Parking charges are to be introduced at the two park and ride sites along the Guided Busway. Do you agree? The £1 all-day parking fee was brought in at the five other sites in Cambridge in the summer, and now county councillors have voted to bring in the same fee on the sites at St Ives and Longstanton. My producer Katharine Park has more details. Just tell us the background Katharine.
KATHARINE PARK: It was earlier this year, as you said, that councillors voted to bring in the £1 charge at the five park and ride sites around Cambridge. Those are the ones at Milton, Madingley, Trumpington Road, Newmarket Road and Babraham Road. The Council said they had to bring in the charges to help pay for the running of the sites. Those charges were brought in in July this year, and according to Stagecoach which runs the bus services, passenger numbers have dropped approximately 10% compared to the same time last year.
CHRIS MANN: So why are they being introduced along the Guided Busway route now?
KATHARINE PARK: Well initially when councillors discussed introducing the charges, they didn’t look at the Guided Busway route. However at a later stage they decided they would, and this is the result of that process, which led to yesterday’s vote on introducing the changes at Longstanton and St Ives. Reading through the Council papers, they say running the Guided Busway and the two park and ride sites is cost-neutral, because they recoup the money from the bus companies. However they say that it’s the concessionary fares that are costing them money. So for example, if somebody has a bus pass and can use the bus for free, the Council are losing money there. And they say they need to make the money back, or will have to make cuts to vital services elsewhere.
CHRIS MANN: So how much money could they make?
KATHARINE PARK: Well the St Ives site can hold up to 1000 vehicles, whilst Longstanton can hold 300. So in theory the Council could make up to £1,300 a day. In reality though the Council tell us there are about 600 to 700 vehicles using the site each day, so if those people paid to pay, that’s between £600 and £700 a day. Calculate that over a year and that would add up to £200,000.
CHRIS MANN: It’s a pretty contentious issue, even though it’s only £1 we’re talking about. So what’s the reaction been to the news Katharine?
KATHARINE PARK: As you say there’s been a very mixed reaction to the news of this £1 charge. You’ll be talking in just a few moments time to Stagecoach who run the majority of the services along the route. BBC Radio Cambridgeshire has spoken to Whippet Coaches who run some of the services. They’ve told us they do have concerns that the charges will affect passenger numbers. They point out that they have to pay a charge to the Council to run routes along the Busway, and need to attract more passengers to make services viable. They also point out that when they first tendered to run the service along the route, the new town of Northstowe was an integral part of the plan. And as you know, that’s now been delayed, and with the service being relatively new, it’s only been going for three years, they say they’re still working to increase passenger numbers. ..
CHRIS MANN: When will the charges be introduced?
KATHARINE PARK: Well the Council says it will take them a little time to order machines, put them in place and get them running, and it’s anticipated that the charges will be brought in at some time early next year. But obviously if they’re not, then cuts need to be made elsewhere.
CHRIS MANN: Katharine thank you. That’s our producer Katharine Park. Well joining me in the studio now is Andy Campbell, who is the Managing Director of Stagecoach in Cambridge. Andy, good morning to you.
ANDY CAMPBELL: Good morning.
CHRIS MANN: And your connection to all this is you run the buses.
ANDY CAMPBELL: We run the majority of the buses on the Busway.
CHRIS MANN: But you don’t run the park and rides. ..
ANDY CAMPBELL: No we don’t actually manage the car parks. No. But we do pay for that in the access charge.
CHRIS MANN: So what do you think of the charges?
Continue reading “Stagecoach concern at fewer passengers since the parking fee”

Labour councillors in marginal constituencies back Miliband

17:52 Tuesday 11th November 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

JOZEF HALL: A political poll carried out by a history lecturer at nearby Anglia Ruskin University suggests that Ed Miliband still has strong support as Leader. The survey by Dr Richard Carr was answered by 202 Labour Party councillors in key marginal constituencies. They include councillors from the 106 target seats Labour have in their sights for 2015, as well as the 50 Labour-held seats most vulnerable to a Conservative swing. Richard Carr is on the phone now. Richard, good evening.
RICHARD CARR: Good evening Jozef.
JOZEF HALL: Clearly you haven’t been reading the papers or watching the news.
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Spare room subsidy debate at BBC Cambridgeshire

09:22 Friday 7th November 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

PAUL STAINTON: We’re asking this morning is it time to scrap the so-called bedroom tax. Figures from Cambridge City Council reveal that one in five people in the city have fallen behind with their rent. Only 5% of people have actually managed to downsize their accommodation. And it’s not just in Cambridge. Sally Chicken is from the Rainbow Saver Credit Union in Peterborough. They’ve seen similar problems in the north of the county too.
(TAPE)
SALLY CHICKEN: Well what we’ve seen is members coming in trying to make ends meet because they’ve had their housing benefit cut. And then they’re either not able to move into a smaller property, or there just isn’t a smaller property available for them to move into.
(LIVE)
PAUL STAINTON: Sally also agrees with Rob who we spoke to, Rob Nixon, a few moments ago. She says it’s been a huge problem, the spare room subsidy, for the disabled.
(TAPE)
SALLY CHICKEN: Especially for disabled people. I don’t know if you know, but if a disabled couple are both disabled, they are still only entitled to a one bedroomed property. And we’ve had several members who have been just devastated because they can’t physical share a bedroom because of the disability, still being told they are not entitled to a two bedroomed property.
(LIVE) ..
PAUL STAINTON: So should one of the Coalition’s most controversial policies be scrapped? We’ve invited three councillors from across the county and the political spectrum. In the blue corner, representing the Conservatives, councillor Mark Howell, Cabinet member for Housing on South Cambridgeshire District Council. Morning.
MARK HOWELL: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: In the red corner from the Labour party, Peterborough Parliamentary Candidate and city councillor Lisa Forbes. Lisa, morning.
LISA FORBES: Good morning Paul.
PAUL STAINTON: And in the yellow corner for the LibDems, Deputy Group Leader of the Cambridge LibDems Catherine Smart. Catherine, morning.
CATHERINE SMART: Good morning.
PAUL STAINTON: Mark I’m going to start with you, because this is essentially a Conservative policy, isn’t it. Is it right, is it fair, is it just, or should it be scrapped?
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London Stansted Cambridge Consortium – Network Rail underestimate demand

17:17 Thursday 6th November 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

CHRIS MANN: A business group claims Network Rail has missed an opportunity as they announced plans to upgrade the rail line between Cambridge, Stansted Airport and London. They say it doesn’t go far enough, and say the route needs major upgrading, not just modest improvements. Richard Schofield is the Route Managing Director at Network Rail. He says there isn’t the demand in the area for that level of growth.
(TAPE)
RICHARD SCHOFIELD: We welcome views of people that think we’ve got it wrong, but if you look at the needs over the next decade, there isn’t the volume of growth that would justify a business case to do that piece of work. But we welcome the input from Stansted Airport and the businesses and Transport for London around what they think we should be doing, so that we can create a business case that we can send to Government and say look, actually we think there is a greater need.
(LIVE)
CHRIS MANN: However he said if a Government report showed there’s going to be an increase in passenger numbers at Stansted, they would reconsider.
(TAPE)
RICHARD SCHOFIELD: So we would then work with stakeholders and Government to put together a plan that addresses the need to get passengers to Stansted in even greater numbers. But we can’t really second guess the outcome of that report, but we will of course take it into mind as we go through next year.
(LIVE)
CHRIS MANN: That was Network Rail’s Richard Schofield. Let’s bring in councillor Kevin Bentley, the Chair of Infrastructure at the London Stansted Cambridge Consortium. Hello Kevin.
KEVIN BENTLEY: Good evening.
CHRIS MANN: They say there’s not enough demand. What’s your evidence that it’s otherwise?
KEVIN BENTLEY: Well just look at it. Look at the fantastic growth that’s happening in Cambridgeshire, not just in the bio-tech industries, but all industries, plus the great science parks we have in Cambridge as well. Just down the road in Harlow, the Enterprise Zone, the Government’s own Enterprise Zone that we’re working so hard to make happen down there and it’s going to be fantastic. Then you go down the line further into London, plus of course Stansted Airport, which is set to grow in passenger numbers. All the evidence is there. We have presented this before. I just don’t understand what Network Rail’s doing. They’ve missed a golden opportunity. We’re going to prove them wrong.
CHRIS MANN: But they say quite categorically, you heard the man say that there’s no demand. Have you done a survey?
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Environment Secretary announces new Government pollinator strategy

08:53 Tuesday 4th November 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

DOTTY MCLEOD: The Government is setting out its plans for safeguarding the nation’s bees. The insects play a vital role in pollinating many of our crops and wild plants, so a decline in numbers in recent years has led to warnings by scientists that the UK could face a food security catastrophe. Today the Environment Secretary Liz Truss will unveil a national strategy to help our bees and other pollinators in the future. Joining me is Matt Shardlow from Peterborough-based organisation Buglife. Morning Matt.
MATT SHARDLOW: Good morning.
DOTTY MCLEOD: So what are you expecting from this report today, from this strategy?
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Dilemma for Cameron as Merkel appears to reserve free movement

07:26 Monday 3rd November 2014
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

DOTTY MCLEOD: It looks like life has just got a bit tougher for David Cameron this morning, when it comes to his plans to try and renegotiate the rules for Britain in the EU. Reports coming from Germany claim its Chancellor Angela Merkel is warning the Prime Minister that his drive to curb immigration is pushing Britain towards leaving the EU. Angela Merkel is quoted as saying she’s prefer the UK to leave the EU completely rather than compromise the free movement of workers. Let’s get more on this from our reporter Gavin Lee. Talk us through Gavin what Angela Merkel appears to be saying here.
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